37 CFR § 1.12 — Assignment records open to public (MPEP Coverage Index) – BlueIron IP

This page consolidates MPEP guidance interpreting 37 CFR § 1.12, including 27 rules from the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure. It is provided as guidance, with links to the ground truth sources. This is information only, it is not legal advice.

Summary

This section provides detailed guidance on the accessibility of assignment records for pending or abandoned patent applications, ensuring members of the public can request copies while adhering to access restrictions and confidentiality requirements.

What this section covers

This section defines that it covers the accessibility of assignment records for pending or abandoned patent applications.

Key obligations

Any member of the public can request copies of assignment records for pending or abandoned patent applications.
Requests must be made to the appropriate office or department responsible for handling such records.
The public must comply with any applicable access restrictions or confidentiality requirements as outlined in USC/CFR.

Practice notes

Practitioners should ensure that all requests for assignment records are properly documented and tracked.
Avoid releasing any confidential or sensitive information in response to public requests without proper authorization.

Public Access to Assignment Records for Abandoned PatentsMPEP 301.01Required
Petition Required for Public Access to Assignment RecordsMPEP 301.01Required
Reel and Frame Number Required for Copy OrderMPEP 301.01Recommended
Extra Charge for Unspecified Document SearchMPEP 301.01
Patent and Trademark Assignment Records Open to Public InspectionMPEP 301.01
Patent Assignments and Published Applications Available OnlineMPEP 301.01
Images of Assignment Records After June 1998 Viewable OnlineMPEP 301.01
Public Must Order to View Older Assignment RecordsMPEP 301.01Required
Entire Assignment Document Must Be Open If Any Part Is InspectableMPEP 301.01
Entire Document Open if Contains Patent or TrademarkMPEP 301.01
Pending Patent Applications Not Open to Public InspectionMPEP 301.01
Assignment Records of Earlier Application Open to Public InspectionMPEP 301.01Permitted
Assignment Records for Reissues Must Be Publicly InspectedMPEP 301.01
Request for Abstracts of Post-1957 Patent AssignmentsMPEP 301.01Required
Request for Pre-1957 Patent Records Must Go to NARAMPEP 301.01Recommended
Request Copies Directly from NARAMPEP 301.01
Fees Required for NARA CopiesMPEP 301.01Required
Patent Assignment Records Open for Public InspectionMPEP 301.01
Assignment Records Prior to 1837 Not AvailableMPEP 301.01
Check National Archives Website for AccessMPEP 301.01Recommended
Departmental Register for Governmental Interests Required by Executive Order 9424MPEP 302Required
Governmental Registers Not Open to Public InspectionMPEP 302
Governmental Interests Available for Public InspectionMPEP 302

Public Access to Assignment Records for Abandoned PatentsMPEP 301.01Required
Petition Required for Public Access to Assignment RecordsMPEP 301.01Required
Public Must Order to View Older Assignment RecordsMPEP 301.01Required
Written Authority for Access to Assignment RecordsMPEP 301.01Required
Request for Abstracts of Post-1957 Patent AssignmentsMPEP 301.01Required
Fees Required for NARA CopiesMPEP 301.01Required
Departmental Register for Governmental Interests Required by Executive Order 9424MPEP 302Required

Public Access to Abandoned Patent Application Assignment RecordsMPEP 301.01Permitted
Written Authority Required to Inspect Non-Public ApplicationsMPEP 301.01Prohibited
Public Inspection of Assignment Records for Pre-AIA PatentsMPEP 301.01

MPEP Section	Rules
MPEP § 301.01	Public Access to Assignment Records for Abandoned PatentsMPEP 301.01Required Petition Required for Public Access to Assignment RecordsMPEP 301.01Required Reel and Frame Number Required for Copy OrderMPEP 301.01Recommended Extra Charge for Unspecified Document SearchMPEP 301.01 Patent and Trademark Assignment Records Open to Public InspectionMPEP 301.01 Patent Assignments and Published Applications Available OnlineMPEP 301.01 Images of Assignment Records After June 1998 Viewable OnlineMPEP 301.01 Public Must Order to View Older Assignment RecordsMPEP 301.01Required Entire Assignment Document Must Be Open If Any Part Is InspectableMPEP 301.01 Entire Document Open if Contains Patent or TrademarkMPEP 301.01 Pending Patent Applications Not Open to Public InspectionMPEP 301.01 Public Access to Abandoned Patent Application Assignment RecordsMPEP 301.01Permitted Written Authority Required to Inspect Non-Public ApplicationsMPEP 301.01Prohibited Written Authority for Access to Assignment RecordsMPEP 301.01Required Public Inspection of Assignment Records for Pre-AIA PatentsMPEP 301.01 Assignment Records of Earlier Application Open to Public InspectionMPEP 301.01Permitted Assignment Records for Reissues Must Be Publicly InspectedMPEP 301.01 Request for Abstracts of Post-1957 Patent AssignmentsMPEP 301.01Required Request for Pre-1957 Patent Records Must Go to NARAMPEP 301.01Recommended Request Copies Directly from NARAMPEP 301.01 Fees Required for NARA CopiesMPEP 301.01Required Patent Assignment Records Open for Public InspectionMPEP 301.01 Assignment Records Prior to 1837 Not AvailableMPEP 301.01 Check National Archives Website for AccessMPEP 301.01Recommended
MPEP § 302	Departmental Register for Governmental Interests Required by Executive Order 9424MPEP 302Required Governmental Registers Not Open to Public InspectionMPEP 302 Governmental Interests Available for Public InspectionMPEP 302

MPEP Section

Rules

MPEP § 301.01